How to cover a screening and party where the whole cast and crew is tight lipped and the creator of the show asks 600 people to keep their mouths shut. “And they did it,” Matt Weiner, the genius behind “Mad Men” our LEAH SYDNEY last night.

The premiere of sixth season was at the DGA in West Hollywood with a party after at the Sunset Tower Hotel. The premiere episode, two hours long, was shown. The show is as brilliant as ever, with twists, turns and impeccable writing, acting and directing. Here are the spoilers: everyone lives through the episode, several main characters aren’t in the two hour premiere but turn up soon, and Roger Sterling’s (John Slattery) has a story line.

Charlie Collier, President and CEO of AMC introduced Weiner. “Certain things have remained perfect. The unparalleled caliber of writing, acting and production makes this an extraordinary series. Matt and his team have set the gold standard for TV, rich, layered, deeply rewarding. So pour yourself a drink, marry a co-worker and smoke them if you got them!”

Weiner told the audience: ” This is such a strange experience. I get asked about the end of the show a lot. I don’t like to think about it.”

At the party, Weiner talked about this season’s themes. “A character says that, ‘People will do anything to alleviate anxiety.’ That’s the theme of the season, and I feel that, that more than ever, and it’s luck too, that the vibe of the show seems very much on what is going right now as a country. I wasn’t even born in 1960-whatever, so I write about now, and that’s what I’m feeling right now.”

John Slattery did say: “I’ll probably direct one episode for the last season. I did two this season.”

Jon Hamm had laryngitis. But he and Jennifer Westfeldt were as sweet as ever. A guest told him that it was awful he hasn’t won an Emmy yet. Hamm replied: “Who knows? I’m a lucky guy no matter what.”

Author

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News. He writes for Parade magazine and has written for Details, Vogue, the New York Times, Post, and Daily News and many other publications. He is the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals.